The University is on social media asking alums to chime in. The responses are, um, to say it nicely, probably not what the Administration would like to hear. (Hint: the word "stupid" is mentioned more often than any of the finalist options are)

PKGW wrote:

Did I miss anything at the game? Was unable to attend but heard that a decision would be made or announced?

I don't believe anything was announced. Just pointless PR to make fans and alums feel like they've been listened to in this whole charade.

George Washing was never an ambassador. Blue Fog if you were doing LSD. I know GW did hemp.(like George in a barrel). Revolutionaries ?. And how was GW a sentinel. I don't think generals did guard duty. 

Gwmayhem wrote:

Here's my guess as to what's happening:

The school was ultra sensitive over the concerns of those students who are offended by the Colonials nickname.  So in an inclusive, politically correct manner, they allowed the students to be an important part of the decision-making process.  

Then, the students came back with Blue Fog.  Like Blue Moon only with Fog.  That tracks.  The kids love it.  The school though was probably a bit embarrassed by it.  No problem..we'll pick 10 finalists and throw the students a bone by allowing Blue Fog to be one of them.  What's next...opinion polls, hold up your favorite sign at the VCU game.  Some like The Revolutionaries, some like The Ambassadors, but the students...Blue Fog!  Blue Fog!  Blue Fog!  The Blue Fog is nowhere close to being lifted.

But we're still OK says the school.  We'll narrow it down to a final 4 and the students will truly feel empowered when their choice is included.  Remember, we can only go with one.

Is the next step to pick a winner or do we all have to wait for Blue Fog and Revolutionaries to be left standing as the final 2?  The school does not want Blue Fog.  It's silly and stupid.  The students do want Blue Fog.  It's silly and stupid.

Can the students push this over the finish line?  Sadly, they are the longshot, even if they have no idea. 

I swear I overheard Chris Monroe say he thought Blue Fog would be good for branding so maybe the school is not 100% opposed to it

Well, if we indulge this name change stupidity--and this won't stop here, 3 of them are at least 
within the realm of reality. Albeit, this whole exercise is totally unnecessary.
   One could make a case for Fog, as noted above, though
still seems weird at best. The Blue part is indeed bizarre.
   Blue Fog is the dumbest one by far. So I guess we should expect that if fact follows form
in numerous GW decisions.
     
 

"Squad" and "Truth" have been shitcanned, so that is good news, perhaps?
I still think "Colonials" is the best choice.
 

Rimhigh wrote:

porter71 wrote:

I would bet all my money that its Revolutionaries.  Its always been Revolutionaries.  This whole marketing thing is a farce to try to drum up interest in something most people don't care about before they name the choice they landed on in the very beginning.  Its embarrassing.  Every part of it.  

They should have just gone with Buff and Blue.  But this is what happens when your can't keep a University President, and the rest of the administration and athletics department are incompetent.  You throw away all tradition to come up with something that doesn't fit the university to solve a problem that didn't really exist.  

Very well said.  A new tradition will never be established and meaningless.

I hate the rationale and this whole effort to drop the Colonials moniker. But somehow my 50+ years of rooting for GW teams is not going to be undermined by this name change, whatever it becomes. The most enduring tradition of being associated with GW as a student or fan was complaining about whatever it was that gave meaning to one’s gripes. What better way to strengthen that connection than the name change? No doubt there were people upset when the school adopted Colonials and dropped Hatcheitites. I’m not scrapping my GW stuff with Colonials on it any more than I trashed anything with a swoosh. My fond memories of that Pat Tallent, Keith Morris, Haviland Harper, Clyde Burwell recruiting class were tied to the fact that they played for GW in their artistically and historically incorrect uniform colors not because they were the Colonials. Elana Meyers Taylor and Red Auerbach played for GW; Mike Jarvis and Joe McKeown coached for GW. Caricatures of George Washington are still appropriate (at least for now). Even Tevye got over his precious Tradition. Suspect we’ll all survive as Revolutionary Sentinels in the Blue Fog as Ambassadors for GW. Even if it’s stupid, which it is.

gwstudent2024 wrote:

The students didn't want Blue Fog, just Fog. No idea where the Blue came from. I like that it's out of the box but I recognize many of you disagree. As a student I haven't felt like they've weighed our opinions more than any other group. FWIW the general reaction my friends have had is that none of the options are particularly good. The people filling out the feedback forms and whatnot are the ones that pay attention to the sports teams from what I can tell. I am afraid that the marketing firm or whatever has outsized influence for a group of people who the decision ultimately doesn't affect

It seems like a student vote was the driver of all of this, so student opinions certainly seem to be more heavily weighed than other groups.  I for one didn't see any alumni upset about Colonials, either on this board or in the real world.

The actual vote to remove the name, if I recall properly was something 44-43 (or thereabouts with a 1-point margin) on the name change, a virtual tie.
And no doubt, many more students than alumni knew about this, since the alumni outreach consisted of maybe an email--and the students voted. (Maybe just pranking everyone, since presumably they would have a basic knowledge of English language meaning before entering the university.)
   I know alumni who didn't recall any chance to vote. So based on these not clear and tie results, this
is what happens. At no doubt, a cost approaching or in the millions. The only people who are better for this are the consultants, as usual, tying on the rich GW feedbag.
   At some point, GW needs to realize that a combination of provoking needless turmoil/alienating its best supporters in the athletic realm is not really a winning strategy. Literally and figuratively.

I have way too much stuff with Colonials on it. It was and still will be Colonials. I will not get anything which says 'The administration is stupid' and "we don;t give a dam what the alumni feel about the change.